Email ~ Are you scaring clients away? Or selling to them? [10/03/17]

Email ~ Are you scaring clients away? Or selling to them? [10/03/17]

I have a little story, I’ve got to tell… So sit back, relax and listen to this tale…
I went online this weekend to look at 5 gallon pots to replant my bonsai tree. I’ve decided that keeping it as a bonsai feels too stifling and I think we’d both be happier if it were a full fledged tree.

I wasn’t going to buy and ship one pot, I just wanted to see what the selection looked like and get a feel for whether one store had better ones than another.

And that’s when I discovered fabric plant bags. Which is a super cool concept (and NOT new!) But it’s been awhile since I needed a planter instead of a spot in the yard, so ya know… new to me.

I had a problem – my bonsai needs a bigger home. I went online to research a solution. In the process, I found an even better solution than I had originally imagined. Instead of going to the store and buying whatever they happened to have in stock that day, I bought something online that provided what I NEEDED, but also gave me a wider selection of choices so that I also got what I WANTED.

That’s called the client journey. I wasn’t ready to buy at that moment. If I was, I would’ve grabbed my car keys and drove to the garden store instead of looking online first.

​But by the end of my journey, I knew what I wanted, what I needed and who to buy it from.

Something occurred to me while I was in research mode and it’s the reason I’m sharing this story with you –

Can you imagine those companies that make planter bags feeling bashful or sleazy for selling their product?

When they email their list, do you think they feel like they’re bothering people?

When they create sales pages to buy the bags from their online shops, do you think they struggle with what to say?

If I called them up today with questions, do you think they’d get nervous when I asked how much upgrades cost?

Hell no!

They KNOW that if someone is on their site, that person is looking for a solution for planting something! Doubly so if they’ve picked up the phone to connect!

Maybe that person will buy from their store, maybe they’ll click away.

But I doubt the company worries about all the things most of us worry about when it comes to sales.

You offer a solution. People are looking for that solution. If you have the solution that is most appealing to that person, they’re going to buy that solution.

Now it’s just a matter of getting in front of that person. Planter bags need to be available where people can find them – on Amazon, in stores like Home Depot and OSH, and online on the company’s website.

For your solutions, maybe they need to be available on your site, on Etsy, on FB and on youTube. Or maybe they need to be on your site, Amazon, FB and Pinterest.

The point is – stop feeling weird about selling to people who are actively researching a solution. And start focusing on how to clearly communicate that you have the solution and WHERE to position that solution so people find it.

If someone gets on the phone with you, they’re READY for a solution. They WANT to be sold to.

You don’t have to make it awkward. You can just say, I have the solution, the investment is $X000. If they want it, they’ll buy it. If they say no, let ‘em go. You can always follow up with them later. No big deal.

The planter companies didn’t pressure me into buying the planter from them. They simply showed up where I’d find them when I’m ready to buy.

In the end, I bought the best quality ones I could find. Shame I couldn’t find a choice of colors, because I’d pay twice as much for the same product in my brand colors. How bad ass would it look to have a big ol green tree growing out of a bright teal colored bag?? 😉

And THAT’S what I mean by give your audience what they need, but take the time to find out what they want too. I wanted a choice of colors. I would’ve paid extra to the company who offered that choice.

I’d hand over my money with a smile on my face and thank the company for solving my problem!

That’s all there is to sales. (And really, what we’re talking about here is content marketing, which does most of the selling for you.) Create your offer and then put the offer where your ideal clients can find it when they’re ready to buy.

Extra credit if you find out what they WANT in addition to what they need and give them that too.

See how that works? Don’t overcomplicate it. Get it out there. Keep improving it. Keep tweaking the copy until you find the sweet spot. Ask your peeps what they want, not just what they need. Make your offer stand out from the crowd by delivering what they need in the style that they want it.

Then simply use your content to spread the word and get in front of people when they’re in research mode.

Hit reply and let me know what part of selling gives you the most trouble. Is it face-to-face selling? Writing promo posts? Writing sales pages? Or something else entirely? Let’s fix it so you can start selling more!

Here’s to your UNAPOLOGETIC Success!!

💜~Mollie

This email was sent to the Real To Ideal Superstars email list on Tuesday, October 3, 2017. Sign up if you want in-depth, hacks, tips, tricks and news in your inbox every week PLUS get access to a toolbox full of FREE ebooks, video trainings and more to help YOU increase your impact and income!

Real To Ideal exists to make the world a better place. That’s why 5-10% of all income is donated to charities with max ROI and very little overhead. And how I got the superhero name Mollie Millions - for the lives I'm working to improve through coaching and philanthropy. That’s also why I invest in planting a tree and adopting an endangered animal in the name of every new client. For more info, go to Real To Ideal Global Impact.